Interviewing Tips

All that hard work on your resume and time spent sending your CV to various companies has finally paid off – you got the interview! …but now what? How should you prepare? Should you prepare?

Here are some tips to help you prior to, during, and after the interview you just landed.

Before your interview:

Research the company. Realistically, if you can't prove how well you fit in with this company they may decide to give the position to a more qualified candidate. All companies have a presence on the internet, and it's likely the CEO and top-level staff does as well. Search this company, the CEO, and the executive employees to get a better idea of what you're walking in to.

Think you’re the only one doing online research? Nope! Companies will search your social media for any problems or red flags that may be bad news. Check your online profiles and do a “clean up” if necessary.

Be prepared to answer “Tell me about yourself?” type questions. Don’t automatically recite your resume contents, instead make this more personal. Give a short summary of your biography, and then give more insight into what motivates you, what your passions are, why you want this particular job.

Be prepared to answer “What is your weakness” questions also. This question is NOT about listing your actual weaknesses, but more about how you have overcome your weaknesses or are working to overcome them.

Prepare to give examples of experiences where you’ve resolved a problem. Describe the situation, give details of the actions you took to solve this problem, and the ending results. Employers want to know that you don’t run from issues, and you’ll actively come up with solutions and remedy the situation.

During your interview:

At the end of the interview, most companies ask the interviewee if they have any questions. BE PREPARED WITH QUESTIONS! If you can add in something personal about yourself (asking about volunteer opportunities, etc) while relating it to the company, it gives you an extra chance to impress the employer.

After your interview:

Send an email to thank the interviewer, preferably within 24 hours of the interview. This shows gratitude and leaves the door of communication open for future opportunities if you aren’t selected for this particular job.